The sound of laughter coming from outside wakes me up. Stretching out before getting up, my back gets too tight if I've been too long in one position, heading towards the door, Thomas is nearly doubled over, laughing so hard, tears slide down his face. He and the Northerner are sitting on the porch with cups of coffee in their hands. Thomas tries to pull himself together when he notices me watching, but he just can't.
It's a good-natured laugh, the kind that has a tendency to pull you along with it, to make the corners of your mouth turn upward in a smile.
"I still can't believe she marked you first!" Thomas clutches his stomach. He's obviously in pain from laughing so hard and trying to keep his coffee from spilling.
From the Northerner's part, he takes the ribbing like a male. Smiling at them, leaning my head against the door frame, watching their easy interaction.
The Northerner's eyes fall on me, looking me up and down, then his eyes wonder back to my smile. He likes the way I look in the morning. Catching his fleeting thoughts of desire and it stirs my stomach with butterflies.
"I made you breakfast. It's on the counter. Why don't you bring it out here and join us?"
Contemplating his offer, not seeing anything wrong with it. Turning around to grab the plate, he's made me a variety of options, from cut up fruit to French toast, with a dusting of powdered sugar on top. He even put the syrup in a little dish on the side.
Bringing breakfast out, deciding to sit with them in the empty chair, looking over the lake. It's quiet in the morning, the mist rising off the still water.
"Hello, Thomas."
"Good morning, Luna." He greets me with respect, bowing his head to me, showing his neck. It takes me by surprise. I thought he would blame me for the loss of his pup, but I can't detect anything hostile or vengeful coming from him.
Balancing the plate in my hand while stabbing a piece of fruit with my fork as the brothers continue to talk. I really don't pay much attention to them. Instead, my focus is on the way the lake looks, so peaceful. A strong urge from my wolf. She wants out. She's restless and wants to stretch her legs to hunt something good.
Placing a piece of the French toast in my mouth. It's good, really good. His eyes are on me, watching my expression, watching every bite I put in my mouth.
It doesn't take me long to finish everything he put on my plate. Standing, he takes the plate from me and brings it into the house.
"How are you doing?" Thomas turns to me giving me all his attention.
"Good," I lied. He can taste it, but it's easier this way. Why go into detail about things that can't be changed?
Warm fingers lightly touch my cheek, as the Northerner's knuckles brush against my jawbone. It's a compulsion that he can't control.
Giving a low, soft growl from deep in my throat. It's without menace, I just don't like him touching me, giving him a glare, he pretends he doesn't see it.
"So, they've made a formal petition to me brother." The Northerner shakes his head sadly. "How many, Thomas?" He spits out, before taking a drink of his coffee.
"Five are issuing challenges. All others know better."
"What's going on?" I blurt out, wanting to be filled in.
Thomas regards me for a moment, "Grey's being challenged for his title."
"Oh." Sipping my coffee.
There are always consequences to our actions. The Moon tries to warn us, tries to show us that there should be no fighting between mates. I'm too stubborn to listen, so she shows me through the consequences of our actions what happens when you go against Nature, against instinct.
"When?"
"Tonight." The Northerner sits with his head on the chair, staring at the lake.
Thomas just shakes his head. "Stupid juveniles. They don't know any better, they think that if you bested him, so can they." His eyes fall on mine with a pointed look.
"What will you do to them?" I'm curious how he'll treat these young pups that are only feeling their hormones, puffed up by the full moon tonight.
"What do you suggest, Luna?" His bright silver eyes turn to mine.
He's having a hard time even sitting next to me. All he can think about is my smell, the way my lips curved into that smile when I was in the door way. He switches positions in his chair, getting uncomfortable. It won't be long before he can't control himself. I can see his desire so clearly through him. I need to get away before something happens.
"Teach them a hard lesson." I leave it at that, not elaborating too much. "I'm going for a run, I'll be back in a while." I turn on them, heading out to the lake.
"Do you want me to come?" he calls out to my retreating back.
"Don't." It was only one word snarled out full of meaning.
Running around the banks of the lake, nose to the ground, searching up a rabbit's trail. A flash of brown fur alerts me to the little animal seeking shelter in its burrow. Leaping high, diving nose first into the hole. Nails digging into the soft ground, I open up the hole to get my wolf's snout deeper, and her jaws clap onto the soft body. My wolf pulls it out still kicking. The life is quickly dispatched, as my wolf crushes its spine easily between her teeth.
Sitting on her rump, she begins to tear into the underbelly, blood dripping off her muzzle. A whine's heard to her immediate left. His grey coat looks so soft, so fine, strong shoulder muscles extending into powerful paws. Ears dropped low, he drops on his belly, crawling slowly over, one paw in front of the other, his stomach dragging on the ground.
My wolf crouches over her kill, posturing towards her nemesis with a loud growl. He inches forward, unthreatening, showing her he means no harm.
She pulls back her nose, exposing her blood soaked teeth, tail thumping aggressively against the floor of the forest.
I sit back in her mind. It's her fight with this wolf, not mine. Her golden eyes don't leave his silver ones as she tears into the underbelly, swallowing the steaming flesh. Growling the whole time, fur bristled up, stiff legs, she starts to posture her intent to him.
He just moves a fraction more. It's too much for my wolf to bare. She leaps with the grace of a fighter, but she encounters the strength of a Warrior. His shoulder rolls her to her side, and before she can get up, he's got her throat in his mouth.
Just a slight pressure is felt, no pain, but it's a clear sign for her to stop. He holds her there, neither one moving.
It's a stale mate. He won't budge, she won't give in. Finally, after much growling, my wolf relents to the more dominate wolf. Her tail tucks under, neck angles slightly more to the side, ears slick back not in defiance, but in submission. He's much more. My wolf understands this, the Nature of things, the weaker taken by the strong.
His teeth release their hold and his tongue darts out, licking her neck. He nuzzles into her flank, body brushing against hers in a suggestive manner.
Then he leaps over her to the fresh kill and rips a chunk for himself, letting the deep red blood stain his muzzle. He picks up the remains and drops it in front of her. The nose pushes the carcass towards her. After sniffing it, her jaws open wide and she swallows the rest whole. Licking her chops, she stretches her hind legs up. He does the same, tail wagging, eyes of mischief. He takes off at full speed in a game of chase.
My wolf sprints off after him, all indiscretions forgotten, nipping harmlessly at his haunches.
His wolf is now met with light growls and playful nips where once was only sharp teeth and snarls.
We ran and played for the whole day, my wolf relishing in the attention. She puffs out and shines underneath this gentleness. She was such a social wolf, always playing and hunting with the members of her pack, she's drawn to this, drawn to the contact, the bond of another wolf, especially her powerful Alpha male.
She licks the side of his jowls and he holds perfectly still, no wanting to ruin this moment. Her cheeks rub into the side of his left flank. She's putting her scent on him, rubbing up against him in a very suggestive manner, tail up exposing herself to him, licking his neck, rubbing her hip against his powerful rump.
To my horror, she goes belly up, exposing the soft flesh of her neck in the most submissive posture. I don't interrupt, I let the animal be. She needs this, needs to feel she belongs to something other than me.
Grey eyes look into her eyes and all he sees back is her brilliant gold. I'm just observing, not interfering. Silver surges forward from the grey, allowing his wolf complete ownership of his body.
This is her time, their time, let them enjoy each other. She yips and prances around him, barking and shaking her tail. His forehead touches hers, they begin to rub their cheeks against one another, scents mixing together, combining as one.
It almost brings me to tears. Deciding it's time to go back, I pull her away, bounding to where we left our clothing. He's beat us there, but he's shed his fur for skin, covering himself with his boxers. He reaches a tentative hand out to her head.
She snaps the air in front of the offending appendage. He doesn't pull away. Slowly, ever so slowly, I watch as his hand descends on her head. Deep feral growls come from her chest, but she doesn't snap out again. She eyes him suspiciously, even cowering thinking he might give another one of his famous ear pinches, but none come.
Instead, all she hears is his cooing, how beautiful and strong she is. She's still growling, but not as feral, more just to growl. His hand slides down her flank, rubbing her legs, rubbing her neck. She angles her head up so her neck is stretched out to him. Gentle fingers scratch the length of it. His soft cooing is met with a content low growl.
Hesitant fingers run along the scars of her back. He pulls her into a hug. As her forehead rests against his cheek, the growls turn into whines and whimpers. He just holds her close to his chest and she allows this.
To my absolute shock, she licks his face, his neck and adds her own mark to his neck. It's not as deep as mine, but it allows his blood to slide down her throat. He doesn't flinch, doesn't move as he holds her to him.
Once again, his essence mixes with ours, sealing him completely to us. It's one sided. He's feeling euphoric as his body shakes with the effect of the bond being sealed. His hands drop to his side as his body becomes boneless. I can feel it coursing through him, electric and charged. A soft moan escapes his lips.
He's dazed.
My wolf licks his neck, sealing it closed. With one last look, she gathers my clothes in her mouth and bounds up the path to the cottage.
Quickly scrambling inside after I shed my fur, locking the bathroom door, I change, covering all my skin. The slamming of the back door alerts me I'm not alone anymore.
He's just outside the door, hormones swirling with the effect of his newly made bond and the full Moon's pull on him.
"Open the door, Meela." It's uttered as a command.
"That wasn't me, Northerner, it was her." I make sure I'm cover completely in the mirror.
He might think my wolf beautiful with her scars, but I'm ruined, completely ruined. No male, not even him will ever look to me with anything other than disgust. Tears well in my eyes just thinking how I'll never be beautiful again.
Ever.
Claws scrape against the wood of the door. A chill traces along my spine, seeping deep into the bone.
"Let me in." He's in agony, his whole body fighting against his natural instincts and his need to respect my wishes.
"I can't. You need to calm down first. I don't want anything you're offering, Northerner."
I'm judging the window to see if I'll fit through it if it comes to that. He starts to yell out his fury, his pain, his need as the door shudders with the force of his body thrown against it.
Unlocking the window silently, I open it when the next heavy thud hits against the now weakened door.
My heart's frantic beats propels me forward and I wiggle my body through the tight space. I almost heave my hips through when the door gives under the force of the next hit. I can feel my ankles being grabbed, him pulling me back through the open space. I grab the window's edge, trying to pull myself back through, kicking at his face. My foot connects with his nose.
It shatters it instantly. Blood streams down his bare chest. It only fuels his desire, the chase, the capture. He's nothing but an animal, his nature winning out over the man.
His pupils are blown out. Black irises meet mine, sharp canines have descended, the hair on his body is lengthening, jaw becoming more monster than male.
He presses himself against me, my hands restrained over my head by one of his hands.
His whole body is on fire, shaking uncontrollably. He throws his head back howling.
I sense what's coming and I begin to cry and scream, struggling in his grip. It's no use. He's much too strong for me. I begin to plead with him.
He flips me around so my cheek is pressed against the wall my arms retrained above my head. I'm still struggling as I feel the first rip of my sweater. He's trying to gain access to my flesh.
He curves his clawed hand around the delicate flesh of my hip, drawing blood in the process.
The mating hormones are leaking out of his skin, saturating the air. Tears streaming down my face, begging him, scream for him to stop, but Nature and instinct propel him forward in a dance older than time.
Screaming out his name, his first name, the one I've never uttered from my lips. "Grey, please stop." It comes out in self-preservation.
Hearing his name from me stuns him, stops him for that second I need. Twisting around to face him, placing a hand on his chest to push him away to create distance.
I'm still crying and my shoulders shake in fear of him. "Please, Grey, don't do this. Not like this."
He shakes his head, trying to clear the fog. A look of complete shame washes across his face, disgust so powerful I taste it's vileness at the back of my throat, gagging me.
He sinks down on bended knees, palms on his thighs, his neck angled upwards in a show of extreme submission. "Forgive me, Meela." His head hangs low, shoulders hunched as tears quietly find a path down his cheeks.
Placing a hand on top of his head, trying to control my breathing, I let my fingers run through its silkiness.
I understand what happened. It's a perversion, what's going on between us. He's marked by me, bonded to me, yet I keep denying him his mate. This was bound to happen, the consequences of my actions, the Moon's pull on him almost to great for him to fight.
We stay like that for a long time, him postured at my feet, me standing above him.